Greening Projects with Penquin, for the Community

Penquin’s greening project meets dual needs

As part of its commitment to both environmental and social responsibility, Johannesburg advertising agency Penquin undertook a tree-planting project recently at a Gauteng centre for disabled people. 

Regardless of the digital age, as a full service agency Penquin uses a lot of paper.   In an effort to readdress the balance and offset some of its carbon footprint, the agency decided to plant eight trees at the Bona Lesedi Disability Centre in Diepsloot during February 2015.

Says Penquin’s Managing Director, Darren Leishman, “As a responsible business we are aware of the impact that our operations have on the environment.    We decided to asses our activities and attempt to balance the scales while at the same time benefitting an organisation in need.

A long history: 

“The Bona Lesedi Disability Centre is close to our hearts as our Media consultant, Alison Leishman was involved in its development in 1999, together with the Diepsloot community and the University of the Witwatersrand.”

The centre cares for children and adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Downs’s syndrome and other physical and mental disabilities.  It has large grounds and a vegetable patch to which Penquin has added two peach trees, two lemon trees and four shade-providing indigenous trees.

Centre coordinator and interim manager, Agrippa Thabede, says the trees will greatly enhance the property and help add to the creation of a pleasant shaded area  where users can more comfortably work, eat and relax.

For more on Bona Lesedi, visit their website http://www.bonalesedi.co.za/.

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